US tightens public-charge crackdown as immigrant visa applications paused

The State Department has paused all immigrant visa applications to brief consular staff on a new public-charge policy designed to bar applicants likely to rely on government benefits, a temporary measure expected to last through early-to-mid September with interviews now rescheduled for later months; the pause mainly affects family-based immigrant visas outside the U.S., while work-based visas are largely unaffected; concurrently, the administration plans to revoke up to 200,000 B1/B2 tourist and business visas tied to asylum claims, a move coordinated with DHS intended to curb asylum abuse, though those already in the U.S. awaiting asylum would not be immediately impacted and asylum processing can take years. The policy change signals a broader crackdown on immigration and could face litigation if challenged.